Am I Insured While...

March 21, 2016 14:27

Who wouldn’t want to go on a trip outside the country? Imagine if you could go on this trip in your own car. Sounds great, right? But, the first thing you should do is to ensure that you’re insured. Most people set off on their car journey believing that their own car insurance would work on an international level. It is a very common misconception among people that they will be covered on the same basis as they are in their own country. Sadly, this isn’t the truth for vehicle insurance and although I sincerely hope that you never need it, it’s better to be prepared. This article will guide through the correct process step by step.

It is widely known that overseas visits can be very dangerous. All those unfamiliar roads, different languages, unknown people, different cultures and many other different things can create big hurdles and can put your life and health in danger in extreme cases. Even the driving rules can be different in different countries, adding to the difficulty. The first thing one should do is to go and talk to your insurer. Discuss about what type of damages are covered by your policy and if there is a possibility to expand it. If luck is on your side, then you won’t have the need to go through the rest of the article. But, in case this doesn’t work, then there are some other options too.

One very nice solution is to get a “green card” vehicle insurance. Also known as International Motor Insurance Certificate, this card can be considered as a proof of your insurance in your country. Though this card is not required anymore in every country across the globe but it can be your friend in need. In case of an accident, some law enforcements can ask for your green card. This is true for countries like Romania, Andorra, Poland and some cities of Italy and France. You can ask for a green card from your insurer. In most cases this doesn’t cosy a penny. The policy can also be extended for more cover.

But what if you are hiring a car for the visit? Even in that case you should be aware about your car insurance policy. Sometimes this part of car finance can be very costly. But, it is better to check whether you can get a good deal with your travel agent. Also, don’t just believe blindly on the agent, it is always better to go through the agreement and other legal policy papers personally and ensure that everything is perfectly okay.

It is always beneficial to have some idea about various types of insurance cover so that your car’s insurance finance doesn’t increase too much without any reason. There are different price structures for insurance valid overseas. They all depend on the type of cover they provide. It is completely up to you to choose your policy. But, there are two main things which can help you in making this decision – level of policy cover and the type of car you are driving. Generally, the rates of the vehicle insurance policies depend on the type of car, time for which the cover is valid and any excess insurance you want to include. It is better if you buy excess car insurance cover so that you don’t have to pay more whenever the situation arises. There are two basic types of cover: Daily policy, best to use for a short trip and an annual policy which is better to use when your trip is at least 14 days long.

Finally, it is up to you and not your agent to make the decisions concerning your trip. So, be careful and attentive but don’t let these things spoil your fun.